Ascidia mentula

Pink sea-squirt

Ascidia mentula is a solitary ascidian of about 5 to 18 cm in length, occasionnaly up
to 30 cm.
The test is smooth, cartilaginous and thick and it is generally pink. The body is ovoid and is
attached to the substratum by the left side. The oral siphon is broad, terminal, eight-lobed and may have
eight white markings. The atrial siphon is one-half of body length from the oral siphon.
The pink sea-squirt lives attached to rocks, wrecks or shells. This species has a rather long lifespan, some
of them living up to 7 years old.
It is found from 5 m to depths of 200 m in the Atlantic Ocean from Norway to the Mediterranean Sea, in the North Sea
and the English Channel.

Classification

Glossary of the page

Test : or tunic: thick layer secreted by the mantel containing cellulose and protecting the animal.Oral siphon : Opening by which water is drawn in the ascidian.Atrial siphon : Opening through which water is expelled.

How to cite this page in publications

Bay-Nouailhat A., September 2005, Description of Ascidia mentula, Available on line at http://www.european-marine-life.org/32/ascidia-mentula.php, consulted on 19 November 2018.Also consult : Terms of use and copyrights